God – The Five Pillars of Kundalini Yoga – 5/5

More than a “pillar” of Kundalini Yoga, God is actually its ultimate foundation, process, and aim. The realization of our sat nam, our truest, most ultimate Self, is the implicit, underlying goal of every technique. For when the ego/mind/karma is cleared–– when our attachment to the dualistic content of the ego is surrendered––all that is left is the fundamental truth of our nature–– pure beingness (satchitananda) and Unconditional Love.

Our upbringing, beliefs, and level of consciousness limit what God means to us. Yet, we can learn to exchange beliefs for experience because God can only be truly known as a subjective Reality. Accurate concepts and teachings can be helpful signposts that guide our will and help point us to the Path, but the Divine supercedes the conceptual. Faith is what bridges the gap between a conceptual belief in God and realizing God through experience.

The Divine is both Immanent as well as Transcendent (ek ong kar)–– both within us (the sat nam, the true guru, the soul, the Self, Buddha nature, etc.) as well as outside of us (the Ruler of the Universe, “our Father who art in Heaven”, etc.). The Divine Immanent is the primary context for God in Kundalini Yoga and it is a pure, reliable context for full transformation.

God is the Source of our very existence and is innate, yet it is intention, willingness, and Grace, which calls forth that energy and sets our spiritual compass. Devotion to God–– 

to mercy, compassion, love, peace, beauty, forgiveness, etc.–– is the highest act of the will.

Core Concepts

Divine Immanent = God within us Divine Transcendent = God outside us	Seek to “know” God, not just “know about” God
The ego is content. The Self is context	There is no opposite to Truth, only its absence
gu = darkness ru = light The only true guru is the Self within	The Primary pathways to God are Bhakti (the heart), Jnana (higher mind), Karma (service), and Raj (meditation)